LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger is back in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers with a new appreciation for the game. Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP, was out for nearly two months with a hairline fracture in his left leg. He had offseason shoulder surgery after the Dodgers won the World Series and said this has been the toughest stretch of his career. “I’d say so. Honestly, I feel like I haven’t been a part of the team this year,” Bellinger said. “Spring training I was on my own schedule getting ready and, obviously, this happened. It’s good to be back with the boys. It will be nice to not watch on TV. It will be nice to be in the games. I’m super excited.” Bellinger, who will play center field in both weekend games against the San Francisco Giants, said he was in group chats with his teammates and had some FaceTime calls while he rehabilitated in Arizona, his home state and where he makes his offseason home. But it wasn’t the same. He’s been out since April 5, after just 19 at-bats. Bellinger... [More]

May 30 1894 -- Boston’s Robert Lowe became the first player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, leading the Beaneaters to a 20-11 win over Cincinnati. After hitting four straight homers, all line drives far over the fence, Lowe added a single to set a major league record with 17 total bases. 1922 -- Between the morning and afternoon games of a Memorial Day twin bill, Max Flack of the Chicago Cubs was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Cliff Heathcote. They played one game for each team. 1927 -- In the fourth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, shortstop Jim Cooney of the Chicago Cubs caught Paul Waner’s liner, stepped on second to double Lloyd Waner and then tagged Clyde Barnhart coming from first for an unassisted triple play. 1935 -- Babe Ruth made his last major league appearance. He played one inning for the Boston Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies. Jim Bivin retired Babe Ruth on an infield grounder in the Babe’s final major league at-bat.... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Robbie Grossman hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night. The Yankees took the lead in the top of the inning when automatic runner Aaron Judge came home from third on a passed ball. Justin Wilson (1-1) retired the first two Detroit batters in the bottom half, but on a full count, Grossman sent a high drive that cleared the fence in left field. Rougned Odor homered and had four hits for the Yankees, who dropped a bizarre game that also included a three-ball walk for New York hitter Gio Urshela. Bryan Garcia (1-1) won in relief for Detroit. Each starting pitcher — Gerrit Cole for New York and Casey Mize for Detroit — was a former No. 1 overall draft pick. Mize, the top pick in the 2018 draft, allowed a run and five hits in five innings. He struck out seven with no walks. Cole was picked first overall by Pittsburgh in 2011. He allowed a run and six hits in six innings. ATHLETICS 3,... [More]

May 28 1918 -- Boston’s Joe Bush pitched a 1-0 one-hitter against the Chicago White Sox and drove in the lone run. The only Chicago hit was by Happy Felsch. It occurred when he threw his bat at the ball on a hit and run. 1939 -- Philadelphia pitcher Robert Joyce was victimized two straight days by New York’s George Selkirk. Joyce gave up two homers to Selkirk a day earlier. Joyce came on in relief on this day and gave up two more homers to Selkirk. Selkirk ended with four homers in four at-bats against the same pitcher over two successive games. The Yankees won 9-5. 1946 -- The Washington Senators beat New York 2-1 in the first night game at Yankee Stadium. The first ball was thrown out by General Electric president Charles E. Wilson. 1951 -- After going 0-for-12 in his first three major league games, Willie Mays of the New York Giants hit a home run off Warren Spahn in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Braves. 1956 -- Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates hit a home run in his eighth consecutive... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — César Hernández hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday that dropped the Twins to 0-8 in extra-inning games this season. Hernández’s first career game-ending home run led off the 10th and sliced over the right-field wall to score Austin Hedges, who started at second base under pandemic rules. Colomé (2-4) also gave up Jordan Luplow’s leadoff homer in the 10th inning of a 5-3 loss at Cleveland on April 26. James Karinchak (2-0) got four outs, finishing a 4 2/3 hitless scoreless Indians bullpen behind AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six, ending his 23-game streak of at least seven strikeouts. DODGERS 6, GIANTS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Max Muncy hit a home run into McCovey Cove, connecting off Scott Kazmir in the lefty’s first big league game since 2016, and Los Angeles beat San Francisco for its seventh straight... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — César Hernández hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday that dropped the Twins to 0-8 in extra-inning games this season. Hernández’s first career game-ending home run led off the 10th and sliced over the right-field wall to score Austin Hedges, who started at second base under pandemic rules. Colomé (2-4) also gave up Jordan Luplow’s leadoff homer in the 10th inning of a 5-3 loss at Cleveland on April 26. James Karinchak (2-0) got four outs, finishing a 4 2/3 hitless scoreless Indians bullpen behind AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six, ending his 23-game streak of at least seven strikeouts. DODGERS 6, GIANTS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Max Muncy hit a home run into McCovey Cove, connecting off Scott Kazmir in the lefty’s first big league game since 2016, and Los Angeles beat San Francisco for its seventh straight... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — César Hernández hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday that dropped the Twins to 0-8 in extra-inning games this season. Hernández’s first career game-ending home run led off the 10th and sliced over the right-field wall to score Austin Hedges, who started at second base under pandemic rules. Colomé (2-4) also gave up Jordan Luplow’s leadoff homer in the 10th inning of a 5-3 loss at Cleveland on April 26. James Karinchak (2-0) got four outs, finishing a 4 2/3 hitless scoreless Indians bullpen behind AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six, ending his 23-game streak of at least seven strikeouts. DODGERS 6, GIANTS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Max Muncy hit a home run into McCovey Cove, connecting off Scott Kazmir in the lefty’s first big league game since 2016, and Los Angeles beat San Francisco for its seventh straight... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — César Hernández hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday that dropped the Twins to 0-8 in extra-inning games this season. Hernández’s first career game-ending home run led off the 10th and sliced over the right-field wall to score Austin Hedges, who started at second base under pandemic rules. Colomé (2-4) also gave up Jordan Luplow’s leadoff homer in the 10th inning of a 5-3 loss at Cleveland on April 26. James Karinchak (2-0) got four outs, finishing a 4 2/3 hitless scoreless Indians bullpen behind AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six, ending his 23-game streak of at least seven strikeouts. DODGERS 6, GIANTS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Max Muncy hit a home run into McCovey Cove, connecting off Scott Kazmir in the lefty’s first big league game since 2016, and Los Angeles beat San Francisco for its seventh straight... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Domingo Germán pitched seven scoreless innings, Gio Urshela and Aaron Judge delivered RBI singles as pinch-hitters in the seventh inning and the New York Yankees followed Corey KJuber’s no-hitter by beating the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Thursday. New York won its sixth straight series and at 25-19 moved a season-high six games over .500. Yankees pitchers have thrown seven shutouts in the team’s first 44 games for the first time since 1967. Germán (4-2), who allowed six hits with five strikeouts as New York finished the four-game series with 22 consecutive scoreless innings. Chad Green pitched a perfect eighth, and Aroldis Chapman struck out two in the ninth for his 11th save. John King (4-3) was the loser. RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 7 DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a three-run ninth inning, and the Red Sox rallied to beat the Blue Jays. Alex Verdugo had an RBI grounder before Martinez connected on his 250th homer. The two-out drive came... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer, his first for the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. He sent an 0-1 pitch from Merrill Kelly to right field, with Josh Reddick jumping to the top of the wall in an attempt to make the catch. Will Smith, who singled leading off, scored and Pujols was greeted by high-fives from his teammates in the dugout as the Dodgers led 2-0. It was Pujols’ 668th career home run, most among active players and fifth all-time, and followed 445 he hit for the St. Louis Cardinals and 222 for the Los Angeles Angels. The hit was his 3,256th, breaking a tie with Eddie Murray for 13th on the all-time list. The 41-year-old slugger left the Angels and joined the Dodgers on a one-year deal Monday. In his first game that night, Pujols produced a run-scoring single in his second at-bat. The three-time NL MVP started at first base against the D-backs. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer, his first for the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. He sent an 0-1 pitch from Merrill Kelly to right field, with Josh Reddick jumping to the top of the wall in an attempt to make the catch. Will Smith, who singled leading off, scored and Pujols was greeted by high-fives from his teammates in the dugout as the Dodgers led 2-0. It was Pujols’ 668th career home run, most among active players and fifth all-time, and followed 445 he hit for the St. Louis Cardinals and 222 for the Los Angeles Angels. The hit was his 3,256th, breaking a tie with Eddie Murray for 13th on the all-time list. The 41-year-old slugger left the Angels and joined the Dodgers on a one-year deal Monday. In his first game that night, Pujols produced a run-scoring single in his second at-bat. The three-time NL MVP started at first base against the D-backs. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

May 21 1926 — Earl Sheely of the Chicago White Sox hit three doubles and a home run against the Boston Red Sox. Sheely doubled in each of his last three at-bats the previous day to give him seven consecutive extra-base hits, tying a major league record. The six doubles in the two games also tied a major league record. 1943 — In the fastest nine-inning night game in American League history, the Chicago White Sox beat the Washington Senators 1-0, in 1 hour, 29 minutes. 1948 — Joe DiMaggio had two home runs, a triple, double and single to lead the New York Yankees to a 13-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. 1952 — Duke Snider’s home run highlighted a 15-run first inning in the Dodgers’ 19-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Brooklyn. Snider, Pee Wee Reese and Billy Cox each made three plate appearances in the first inning. 1986 — Rafael Ramirez of Atlanta had four doubles in seven at-bats as the Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 9-8 in 13 innings. 1996 — Larry Walker drove in a career-high six... [More]

May 21 1926 — Earl Sheely of the Chicago White Sox hit three doubles and a home run against the Boston Red Sox. Sheely doubled in each of his last three at-bats the previous day to give him seven consecutive extra-base hits, tying a major league record. The six doubles in the two games also tied a major league record. 1943 — In the fastest nine-inning night game in American League history, the Chicago White Sox beat the Washington Senators 1-0, in 1 hour, 29 minutes. 1948 — Joe DiMaggio had two home runs, a triple, double and single to lead the New York Yankees to a 13-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. 1952 — Duke Snider’s home run highlighted a 15-run first inning in the Dodgers’ 19-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Brooklyn. Snider, Pee Wee Reese and Billy Cox each made three plate appearances in the first inning. 1986 — Rafael Ramirez of Atlanta had four doubles in seven at-bats as the Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 9-8 in 13 innings. 1996 — Larry Walker drove in a career-high six... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout instantly figured something was wrong. And the Angels star was right — he's now out for the longest stretch of his major league career because of a strained right calf. The three-time AL MVP is expected to miss six to eight weeks, which would sideline the Los Angeles outfielder through the All-Star break. “It is not just a little bump in the road. I mean, I’m really crushed about it,” Trout said Tuesday. The Angels put Trout on the injured list, a day after he came up limping when he headed toward third base on a popup that ended the first inning. Trout said when he put his head down to run, he thought he'd been hit by a line drive. “I knew it was bad when it happened. I felt the pop and was just hoping for the best,” Trout said. “I wanted to make sure it wasn't my Achilles. So I guess if there’s any positive that comes out of this, at least it wasn't that. It was just a freak thing.” Trout slammed down his batting helmet as he exited the field, an injury... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 13th home run and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the slumping Cleveland Indians 7-4 on Monday night after star outfielder Mike Trout was injured early. Trout strained his right calf in the first inning. The three-time AL MVP was limping after running to third on an inning-ending popup. Angels manager Joe Maddon said Trout was undergoing further evaluation, including an MRI, and the team would know more on Tuesday. Ohtani connected off Sam Hentges (1-1) during a five-run second to give the Angels a 6-1 lead. The Japanese superstar, who hit the go-ahead homer with two outs in the ninth inning Sunday at Boston, has gone deep in consecutive games twice this season. Tony Watson (2-1), the second of seven Los Angeles pitchers, earned the win and Raisel Iglesias picked up his seventh save. Cesar Hernandez, Franmil Reyes and Harold Ramirez homered for Cleveland, which has dropped four straight. DODGERS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1 LOS ANGELES... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols is grateful to be chasing another World Series ring now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, yet he's also disputing the Los Angeles Angels' version of the circumstances that led to his big move up the freeway. The 41-year-old slugger formally joined the Dodgers on a one-year deal Monday, vowing to contribute to the defending World Series champions as a first baseman, a pinch-hitter and a veteran mentor. He'll wear a No. 55 jersey in Dodger Blue after sporting a red No. 5 with the Cardinals and the Angels throughout his first two major league decades. “I feel like I've still got some gasoline left in my tank,” Pujols said. “I'm really excited for this opportunity.” Pujols was in the Dodgers' lineup Monday night as their cleanup hitter and first baseman when they faced left-hander Madison Bumgarner in the opener of a four-game series with Arizona at Chavez Ravine. The fifth-leading home run hitter in major league history said his role with the Dodgers will be “really... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols is grateful to be chasing another World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers, yet he's also disputing the Los Angeles Angels' version of the circumstances that led to his big move up the I-5 freeway. The 41-year-old slugger formally joined the Dodgers on a one-year deal Monday, vowing to contribute to the defending World Series champions as a first baseman, a pinch-hitter and a veteran mentor. He'll wear a No. 55 jersey in Dodger Blue after sporting a red No. 5 with the Cardinals and the Angels throughout his first two major league decades. “I feel like I've still got some gasoline left in my tank,” Pujols said. “I'm really excited for this opportunity.” The Dodgers activated the fifth-leading home run hitter in major league history before the opening game of their home series with Arizona on Monday night. Pujols said his role with the Dodgers will be “really whatever. I'm here to do whatever, you know. Pinch-hit, first base, whatever they want. I'm... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols has signed a major league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, moving 30 miles north to extend his remarkable career after leaving the Los Angeles Angels. The 41-year-old Pujols formalized his one-year deal Monday with the defending World Series champions after agreeing to make the move last weekend. The fifth-leading home run hitter in major league history likely will be in uniform during the Dodgers' home series with Arizona, which begins Monday night. Pujols was unceremoniously cut by the Angels earlier this month in an abrupt end to his largely unsuccessful 10-year, $240 million tenure with the Orange County club. The struggling Halos will pay all but about $420,000 of Pujols' $30 million salary this season while he plays on with their dominant local rivals. The Angels said they broke up with Pujols because he wanted to play every day, but they have two players at his positions — first baseman Jared Walsh and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani — with far... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — World Series MVP Corey Seager will miss at least a few weeks for the Los Angeles Dodgers after breaking a bone in his right hand. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the star shortstop does not need surgery on his broken fifth metacarpal — the bone closest to the palm in his pinky finger. Seager's hand was in a splint and a wrap Sunday morning while he chatted with his agent, Scott Boras, in the Dodger Stadium stands before the defending champions' series finale against Miami. “I think we dodged a bullet,” Roberts said. “No surgery required. He’s in a splint, and we’re just going to let it heal. With a broken hand, the timeline is pretty vague, so that’s where it’s at.” Roberts said the “floor” for Seager's return likely was four weeks, but it was impossible to assign a definite timetable. “I don’t know,” Roberts said. “You’ve just got to let it happen.” Seager was hit by a pitch from Miami's Ross Detwiler in the fifth inning of Los Angeles' 7-0 victory Saturday night.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — World Series MVP Corey Seager will miss at least a few weeks for the Los Angeles Dodgers after breaking a bone in his right hand. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the star shortstop does not need surgery on his broken fifth metacarpal — the bone closest to the palm in his pinky finger. Seager's hand was in a splint and a wrap Sunday morning while he chatted with his agent, Scott Boras, in the Dodger Stadium stands before the defending champions' series finale against Miami. “I think we dodged a bullet,” Roberts said. “No surgery required. He’s in a splint, and we’re just going to let it heal. With a broken hand, the timeline is pretty vague, so that’s where it’s at.” Roberts said the “floor” for Seager's return likely was four weeks, but it was impossible to assign a definite timetable. “I don’t know,” Roberts said. “You’ve just got to let it happen.” Seager was hit by a pitch from Miami's Ross Detwiler in the fifth inning of Los Angeles' 7-0 victory Saturday night.... [More]